New Forest Wildlife Park rescues baby hedgehog

No bigger than a small bar of soap, this baby hedgehog called Spike is one of the tiniest creatures ever nursed by Jason Palmer and his colleagues at New Forest Wildlife Park.

Weighing less than 200g, she was found abandoned and defenceless in the Hampshire countryside.

Her mother is thought to have been hit by a car or poisoned by slug pellets.

Luckily her baby was spotted by an eagle-eyed member of the public before she died of cold or starvation.

Last week the Daily Echo reported the rapid decline of the hedgehog in the UK.

A survey estimated that there are only one million hedgehogs left, a fall that is being blamed partly on a decline in their habitat.

But Spike is thought to be thriving following a sharp increase in the number of slugs and snails – thanks to the wet weather.

She was only five or six weeks old when she arrived at the park in Deerleap Lane, Longdown, and needed specialist care to survive.

Mr Palmer , the centre’s animal manager, said: “Hedgehogs rescued by the public and brought to us are normally bigger.

“This one stayed in a little warm box before being transferred to a small room with plenty of places to run around and hide. She was given specialist veterinary milk followed by tinned kitten food
and crushed peanuts.”

The prickly creature has since been released back into the wild but there are other hedgehogs at the park for visitors to view.

diesel64 wrote:
Wish I had loads in my garden to eat all the slugs - grass is awash with them first thing in the morning !!!!

Try bring in Toads or Frogs into the Garden, they to will eat slugs and snails.

[quote][p][bold]diesel64[/bold] wrote:
Wish I had loads in my garden to eat all the slugs - grass is awash with them first thing in the morning !!!![/p][/quote]Try bring in Toads or Frogs into the Garden, they to will eat slugs and snails.southy

diesel64 wrote: Wish I had loads in my garden to eat all the slugs - grass is awash with them first thing in the morning !!!!

Try bring in Toads or Frogs into the Garden, they to will eat slugs and snails.

Thanks - thats a plan I think as fed up with the horrible things

[quote][p][bold]southy[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]diesel64[/bold] wrote: Wish I had loads in my garden to eat all the slugs - grass is awash with them first thing in the morning !!!![/p][/quote]Try bring in Toads or Frogs into the Garden, they to will eat slugs and snails.[/p][/quote]Thanks - thats a plan I think as fed up with the horrible thingsdiesel64

First it was orphaned, then abandoned, and then the mother was 'thought' to be run over by a car or poisoned.
How about kidnapped and the ransom never of slugs never paid?
In reality, not really a clue.

First it was orphaned, then abandoned, and then the mother was 'thought' to be run over by a car or poisoned.
How about kidnapped and the ransom never of slugs never paid?
In reality, not really a clue.hulla baloo

southy wrote:
I wonder what Spike would taste like skined cook and put between to slices of bread.

There were some hedgehog flavour crisps a few years ago, weren't there? Never had any myself.

[quote][p][bold]southy[/bold] wrote:
I wonder what Spike would taste like skined cook and put between to slices of bread.[/p][/quote]There were some hedgehog flavour crisps a few years ago, weren't there? Never had any myself.Georgem

southy wrote:
I wonder what Spike would taste like skined cook and put between to slices of bread.

I wonder what you would taste like skinned and between two slices of bread??

[quote][p][bold]southy[/bold] wrote:
I wonder what Spike would taste like skined cook and put between to slices of bread.[/p][/quote]I wonder what you would taste like skinned and between two slices of bread??dizzychick

southy wrote:
I wonder what Spike would taste like skined cook and put between to slices of bread.

I wonder what you would taste like skinned and between two slices of bread??

Not very nice! Reading his posts are bad enough!

[quote][p][bold]dizzychick[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]southy[/bold] wrote:
I wonder what Spike would taste like skined cook and put between to slices of bread.[/p][/quote]I wonder what you would taste like skinned and between two slices of bread??[/p][/quote]Not very nice! Reading his posts are bad enough!IronLady2010

southy wrote:
I wonder what Spike would taste like skined cook and put between to slices of bread.

There were some hedgehog flavour crisps a few years ago, weren't there? Never had any myself.

Could not tell you if there was or was'nt, if there was more than likely it was at a time when I was working overseas.
But i do remember them testing a few new flavours.

[quote][p][bold]Georgem[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]southy[/bold] wrote:
I wonder what Spike would taste like skined cook and put between to slices of bread.[/p][/quote]There were some hedgehog flavour crisps a few years ago, weren't there? Never had any myself.[/p][/quote]Could not tell you if there was or was'nt, if there was more than likely it was at a time when I was working overseas.
But i do remember them testing a few new flavours.southy